Career
After emigrating to Minnesota at the age of seven, Chilgren fought with the United States Marines during World War I. He was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1926, where he caucused with the Liberal Caucus in the then-nonpartisan body. He became chair of the taxes committee in 1955, and in 1959 he was elected speaker, a position he held until conservatives took control of the house in 1963. Chilgren retired from the legislature after the 1964 elections.
He died in 1972.